Press Review

Lragir.am claims that Armenian law-enforcement authorities are trying to cover up what happened on March 1 because “they seem to realize what a crime against the public they committed.” “Nobody should have expected law-enforcers to admit that the [security] system acted brutally on March 1 even against one protester,” says the online publication.

“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” sees a substantial increase in the role played by “criminal elements” in Armenia’s public and political life. “The last few days not only showed that there are many armed gangs in Yerevan but that they are acting in an increasingly obvious manner,” says the paper. “Of course, armed gangs also existed under [former President Robert] Kocharian. But they left their guns at home when carrying out vote falsifications. The situation during the local election in the Kentron district was totally different. Vote rigging was now done by armed gangs.” It claims that President Serzh Sarkisian puts a greater emphasis on crime figures than Kocharian did.

“Hayots Ashkhar” defends law-enforcement bodies against fresh criticism voiced by Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights. The pro-government paper dismisses Hammarberg’s concerns about the fate of seven opposition leaders who will soon go on trial on coup charges. It says the trials will demonstrate why the oppositionists were arrested and prosecuted. There is enough evidence to convict them of an attempted coup d’etat, it says.

“Zhamanak Yerevan” carries an interview with Gevorg Tevanian, a 27-year-old man who was run over by a police vehicle late on March 1. Tevanian dismisses police claims that the vehicle was commandeered by an opposition protester. “How could a protester seize the car from a policeman?” he asks.

“Our desire is not enough for having a good rapport with our neighbors,” Arman Melikian, Nagorno-Karabakh’s former representative to Armenia, tells “Aravot.” “The neighbors and big powers dictating their interests in the region must also have such a desire.” Failure to understand this would drive Armenia into a “trap,” he says.